Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars winner: Big picture, big potential, big opportunity

With three food entrepreneurs vying for a substantial investment from Gordon Ramsay, the reality is that the finalists earned more than an influx of cash. Becoming the Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars winner is an opportunity to partner on a project that could be a global game changer.

When FOX added Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars to its programming, some people wondered how this reality competition would be different from other options on the schedule. It is not a traditional culinary competition like Hell’s Kitchen or MasterChef. Nor, is it the glimpse into the restaurant world and redemption story of Kitchen Nightmares.

Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars combines business acumen with innovative projects. The season tested the entrepreneurial ability across disciplines. From social media savviness to flavor development to audience engagement, the idea was to find a person who could achieve in all those areas while still bringing an innovative, exciting, and potentially game changing product to an empty space on the shelf.

Going into the finale were three people, Caroline, Chris, and Lan. The three businesses were quite different. While the stories were are heartwarming, it was more than a story that tugged at the heartstrings which would earn the Gordon Ramsay investment. People, both consumers and executives, would have to buy into the concept.

Ideas like how crowded is the food space, can the consumer understand the concept, and is there a market for that product were underlying questions in the finale. Pizza Girl sauce might be the best tasting, clean product on the shelf but how does the consumer choose to pick that option over brands that have been part of the conversation for years.

As the three finalists were tasked with leveling up their products to a bigger audience, the branding was just as important as putting the product in people’s hands. Caroline is a legend in the LA food scene, but that sauce transformed into a frozen pizza option shows the versatility of the brand. Changing Lan’s Vietnamese coffee’s packaging gets more eyes on the bottle. The right tag line can make Chris’ Smart Cups the viable solution.

Beyond the feel good moments in the Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars finale, the big discussion could be helpful to other people looking to break into the food industry. Ideas like how a product is packaged, does the label describe the product, do you have to educate the consumer on the product are all important conversations to have.

Looking at the three products, Fat Milk has a flavorful product with a compelling story. It had a carton communication issue, but it is a well-conceived beverage and has potential growth.

Smart Cups is all about the technology. While it might be presented as an energy beverage in a plant-based cup, the concept is adaptable across many avenues. The key is to educate the consumer and have them choose to change their process.

Pizza Girl is going into a competitive market, but it can find its niche. By add pizza and tweaking the name and/or packaging could help it gain market share.

In the end, the Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars winner was the product that could change the world, Smart Cup and Chris Kanik. The adaptability of this product across the food space is tremendous. The innovative technology is one that is a total game changer.

Will everyone be saying, to better the planet just add water? Only time will tell, but the hope is that one cup can and will make a measurable difference going forward.